The Last of Us Part 2's Laura Bailey, the actor behind revenge-stricken fighter Abby, was originally going to bulk up for her physically demanding role before expecting a child.
Developer Naughty Dog recently released a documentary peeking behind the scenes of the divisive action-horror sequel, where we get some insight into Abby's development as a character and how the team shaped who she would eventually become. One central point of discussion frequently circles back to Abby's bulkier physique, which contrasts her with series protagonist Ellie and countless other heroines in video games.
"Abby evolved over time. If you look at the concept art, the character looked very different from where we've ended up. I don't remember at what point we decided to go with someone really muscular and broad, but I remember once the idea came up, it felt really fresh," director Neil Druckmann explains in the doc below at around the 35-minute mark if you'd like to see the early concept art for yourself.
The team also wanted Abby to both mirror Joel's movements and stand in contrast to Ellie's moveset. "There's something interesting in Abby feeling a lot like Joel" continues Druckmann. So, the team built an entirely different moveset, skill tree, and combat animations for the sequel's newest playable character.
And to really sell the updated animations and heftier build, Druckmann supposedly asked Laura Bailey to match the character's physique. Bailey recounts that the director at one point said, "You should probably beef up if you're going to play her," prompting the actor to begin "deadlifting as much as possible" in preparation for the role. "So I did," she explains, "and I was training like crazy. And then I got pregnant. Eh, what are you gonna do?"
Elsewhere in the documentary, Naughty Dog revealed that the sequel was originally going to be a Bloodborne-inspired open-world adventure. The studio was also candid about its history with crunch culture, claiming that it was turning over a new leaf.
